Danny's Disappearing Act
by Paige M. Carter
Summary: Mac and Stella look for Danny. Spoilers for 3x18 Sleight Out of Hand


Pairing: Danny/Lindsay

Rating: FRT

Spoilers: Sleight Out of Hand

Category: Fluff

Summary: Mac and Stella look for Danny.

Warning: None.

Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue.

Feedback: All I ask is that you play nice. No flying objects that you've set on fire please.

MacTaylor was extremely worried. Danny Messer wasn't in yet and he hadn't called in. That wasn't like Danny, the young man always came in and when he couldn't, he called. For Danny not to show and not to call was unusual and it had Mac worried about his friend.

Suddenly, Stella poked her head in and saw the concern on her friend's face. "Danny still not called?"

Mac shook his head. "No, and it's not like Danny to not call one of us if he couldn't make it in."

Stella saw how worried Mac was and tried to think of a reasonable explanation for Danny's sudden absence. "Well, Mac, maybe he's still sleeping. I mean, we all saw how dead on his feet he was, maybe he went home and crashed and hasn't woken up yet."

Mac shook his head, "It doesn't explain why he's not answering any of his phones or his pager. I've tried his home phone, no answer. I tried his cell but it must be off since it goes right to voicemail."

Stella thought for a minute, "Well Mac, he could still be asleep. Maybe he turned his cell off when he got home and just hasn't gotten up yet."

Mac knew Stella was right but still, he wouldn't rest easy until he knew that Danny was alright. "I'm goin' to his apartment, you wanna come?"

Stella sighed, she still thought Mac was making a big deal out of nothing but she also knew that he wouldn't stop worrying until he knew Danny was okay. "Okay, but don't blame me if Danny gets pissed and sets you on fire again."

Mac smiled a little at the reminder of Danny living probably every employee's dream; setting the boss on fire. "Deal." They paused to get Danny's spare key from Flack and were on their way.

The scene when they got to Danny's apartment was strange. There was no sign of Danny and no sign of a struggle. Stella looked through the mail, "Mail's from two days ago." She looked around the apartment, "And there's no signs of a struggle." She went into the bedroom and looked around. "Doesn't look like he's packed and it looks like all of his toiletries are here." She sighed and looked over where Mac was standing, checking things out in the kitchen. "I don't know Mac. I mean it looks like he came home and then left again."

She checked the answering machine but all the messages were from Mac or Danny's mother and the last one was from the same day he'd disappeared. She sighed, none of this made sense, Danny wasn't the type to just go somewhere and not call. Then a memory hit her of her conversation with Danny and a thought hit her, but that was too crazy, even for Danny Messer.

Mac saw the realization dawning on Stella's face. "What is it?"

Stella shook her head. "I just remembered something. I talked to Lindsay the other day, she was getting ready to testify in her case and I was giving her advice. Danny came in right after I talked to her and I told him that Lindsay hadn't sounded very good and that she told everyone 'hi'. He didn't really say anything but it looked like he was wanting to ask me something but he didn't. I didn't think about it at the time." She paused, trying to figure out how to voice her suspicions. "Mac…what if Danny went to Montana?"

Mac looked at her like she'd just sprouted a second head. "Why would he do that?"

Stella rolled her eyes, "Oh come on Mac! Don't tell me you haven't seen it. Danny's been head over heels in love with Lindsay since she walked in the door and if I'm not mistaken, Lindsay feels the same way." She stood there for a minute and shrugged, "I mean it sounds crazy, but it's about the only thing that makes sense. If he's at the trial, he probably either turned his phone off or has it on vibrate, same with his pager."

Mac stood there for a minute, contemplating the situation, Stella was right, Danny going to Montana after Lindsay was about the only thing that made sense right now. But his criminalist's instinct was wary of slam dunks. "Let's check with the airports first. I just want to be sure that this is what it seems to be."

As they were walking out of the building, Stella's phone rang. "Bonasera."

"Hey Stella, its Sheldon." Hawkes' voice floated through the receiver, "Listen, are you and Mac over at Danny's?"

Stella nodded, "Yeah, we're just leaving. Why?"

Sheldon's voice was amused, "Well, you don't have to look anymore, Danny's in Montana with Lindsay."

Stella stopped dead in her tracks, "Are you serious? How do you know?"

"Adam was flipping through the channels in the break room and Courtv has been covering the trial in Bozeman and we just watched Danny and Lindsay walking out of the courthouse, hand in hand. And yes Stella, I'm recording it."

Stella laughed, "Thanks Sheldon, I'll tell Mac." She hung up with a smile.

"What's up?" Mac asked.

"That was Hawkes. He and Adam just watched Danny and Lindsay walking out of the courthouse in Bozeman hand in hand."

Mac stared at her in shock. "You're kidding." Stella shook her head. "Clears up that mystery." The two friends smiled at each other and headed for their truck, making jokes about Danny's disappearing act.

2500 miles away, a pair of lovers walked down the street of a small Montana town wrapped in the most perfect magic of all, the magic of love.


End file.
